James "Deaf" Burke was an English bare-knuckle boxer active from 1828 to 1843. He primarily competed in Southern England, though he also toured the United States from 1836 to 1838, fighting both exhibition matches and prizefights.

Bare-knuckle boxing is a full-contact combat sport based on punching without any form of padding on the hands. The sport as it is known today originated in 17th-century England and differs from street fighting as it follows an accepted set of rules.